Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Humangear capCAP > Test Report by Thomas Vickers

humangear capCAP

Initial Report - July 11, 2008
Long Term Report - October 16, 2008

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible.


Initial Report
July 11, 2008

Initial tester expectations:
The humangear website easy to navigate and after spending a few minutes poking around I came away with a decent idea of what the capCAP was going to be. I liked the pictures and fact that humangear lists the bottles that this item is supposed to work with. Of course for some of us who don't know which bottle we have, some mention of the diameter of the bottle mouth that can be used might be helpful as well.

Manufacturer's description:
The capCAP is the civilized, 2-in-1 accessory cap for popular wide-mouth hydration bottles (Nalgene, CamelBak, Guyot, Cyclone, Stansport, etc.). 100% BPA-free and 100% Polycarbonate-free. capCAP uses #5 Polypropylene plastic.

Tester's Description:
The capCAP comes in three separate parts that all work together to form the capCAP unit. The first part is the base which is the largest part of the capCAP.

It is circular in shape, with six indentations around the outside edge. The inside of the base is threaded and this is how it connects to my Nalgene bottle.    The drinking spout/hole is also located in the base unit.  It is raised (0.5 in/1 cm) from the base and measures 1 in (2 cm) in diameter.  It is threaded near the bottom so that the lid portion of the can attack to the base.  There is also a small depression that runs around the entire bottom (outside) of the base. This is where the strap portion of the capCap attaches to the base. The entire base measures approximately 2.75 in (7 cm) in diameter at its bottom and stands 1.5 in (4 cm) tall.  

The next part of the capCAP. is the strap portion.

The strap consists of two plastic rings attached by a center piece.    The larger of the two rings measures 2.75 in (7 cm) in diameter and attaches either to the base portion of the capCAP or around the neck of my Nalgene bottle. The capCAP instructions say to attach it to the neck of my Nalgene, but I am leaning towards leaving it attached to the base of the capCAP.  The strap itself measures 0.5 in (1.25 cm) wide and 4.75 in (12 cm) long.  The smaller circle attaches to the lid portion of the capCAP and is 1.75 in (4 cm) in diameter.

The last part of the capCAP is the lid portion.

The lid is a small green circle that is threaded on the inside (so that it can attach to the base portion) and has a groove to which the strap portion attaches. The lid measures 1.75 in (4 cm) in diameter and 0.75 in (2 cm) tall. 

Initial thoughts:
The humangear capCAP is simple to take apart, simple to put together, and simple to attach to my Nalgene bottle.  I am not a fan of spilling my drinks all over me when I use my Nalgene, so I am hoping that the capCAP can live up to its claims and make drinking out of my Nalgene easier. 

I don't normally use a Nalgene, except during the summer months when I change activities rather quickly and when I am working at the ropes course. The need to have an easily accessible drink container that will hang off of various pieces of gear (backpack, climbing belt, metal staples) is what makes my Nalgene so useful. If the capCAP can improve on this in any way, them I am going to be very happy.

Final thoughts:
So far I am excited about the capCAP. It is small, light-weight, and easy to install. It appears to be just what I need to make my Nalgene even more user friendly.  I also like the fact that none of the plastic pieces feel brittle (hard) to the touch.  The lid even seems to have  a grippy consistency  to it that makes it easier for me to open with my weak hands.

Things I like:
1. None of the plastic feel "hard" or "brittle"
2. Easy to install
3. Fits my Nalgene

Things I don't like:
1. Color isn't bad, but more selection would be nice

Long Term Report
October 16, 2008

Locations:
Jones State Forest
Other locations in Southeast Texas

Conditions:
Temperatures from 65 - 100 F (21 - 38 C). 
The terrain has been hard packed dirt roads/trails, grass, leaves, concrete, and asphalt

Activities:
·Dayhikes in W.G. Jones State Forest (8 days)
·Climbing, Rapelling, belaying (10 days)

Holding up to the abuse:
I put the capCap to some pretty serious use during the testing period. I don't usually use a Nalgene bottle, except when on the ropes course, but this summer I made a concerted effort to use it (and the capCap) on dayhikes as well.  It did not matter what I was using the capCap for, it was always attached to me using an aluminum screw-gate carabiner.   I hooked the carabiner through the strap portion of the capCap and attached the carabiner to my pack or my climbing harness.  This means that the strap portion of this lid took the brunt of the punishment.

The good news is that the strap took a beating and is a bit worse for the wear, but it held up fine. There are some scratches on it, but no serious rips, tears. or gouges. Considering that the screw-gate on the carabiner has a rough knurled portion, I think that the strap held up way better than I had expected it to. 

The lid is also another success story despite my clumsiness and abuse.  I dropped the Nalgene on several occasions and with the old lid my main concern was whether or not the lid was going to crack. With the capCap in place, my concern was more for the bottle than the lid after several drops on concrete that scratched the nice green lid, but left no real damage on it. Even when banging against a wooden climbing tower or my pack, the lid seemed to take the abuse without showing or accumulating damage. 

The capCap is not in pristine condition by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure does shrug off what I dished out and looks pretty darned good given how much I used it.

Using the capCap:
One thing that I really liked about using the capCap system versus the original Nalgene lid was when I opened the small top. The capCap small top (green portion) came off easily (l like the grippy consistency of the green lid) even when I had sweaty hands. This left the small cap and the strap attached to the larger base and the bottle. This made me less concerned about losing or damaging the large base or the threads on the Nalgene. With the old lid I always had to take off the large lid to drink and the is exposed the threads on the Nalgene to debris and damage.

I also like the fact that I don't have to use the large opening to drink from. When in a hurry or on the move, it usually resulted in me taking a bath in what ever I was drinking. With the capCap I did not run into the same issue. The smaller opening meant less spills and usually a cleaner Nalgene exterior  when I was done using it.

Final thoughts:
I really like the humangear capCap. It is an innovative approach to updating any and all Nalgene bottles that I have. One thing that really makes this a good idea to me is that it allows me to purchase a really functional after market cap for my Nalgene bottles. I have quite a few that are stored and useless because I either lost or broke the original lids.   I can see that I will probably be getting a few more capCAP to get more of my Nalgene's out of the closet and back into use. 

The capCap has also proven durable and easy to handle. Despite drops and dings, the capCap has held up and kept on working. The materials not only stand up to abuse, but the are definitely easier to open and drink from than my original lids/caps for my Nalgene bottles.

Things I like:
1. Easy to open
2. Durable
3. Easy to drink from

Things I don't like:
1. Color selection
2. Strap portion could be longer

Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Humangear capCAP > Test Report by Thomas Vickers